‘The direction in which education starts a man will determine his future in life’.

Although they clearly should apply to women as well as men, the words of Greek philosopher Plato are as apt today as they were when written around 350BC.

Primary schools are a crucial component of our education system and a good one will securely set youngsters off on a learning path that will equip and set them up for life.

Across the six boroughs that make up East Lancashire plus Chorley, there are 220 primary schools providing infant or junior education, or right through from aged four to 11.

They vary enormously in size from small village schools typically in the Ribble Valley or parts of Pendle with just a few dozen pupils, to urban complexes with hundreds of children on their rolls.

East Lancashire has a higher than average proportion of community, voluntary controlled or voluntary-aided primary schools as well as Roman Catholic, Methodist, Church of England and Muslim faith institutions.

This category gives each of them the chance to let a wide audience know how hard they are striving to give youngsters the best possible start and encourage an enthusiasm to learn. As well as ensuring that pupils can read and write and have grasped basic numeracy, primary schools open the doors to the world of science and art.

Learning to play and interact with others is a vital part of primary school life, not to mention simple but important things like the ability to share. Primary schools have an important role in their communities and the best attract support from parents.

All these qualities will be looked at by expert judges who will select the finalists and the winner of the title of Lancashire Telegraph Primary School of the Year.